Collins finds how tough it is at the top

FOR Dan Collins, whose contract with Radio Ireland was terminated last night last week must have been one of the loneliest of his life.

From being on top of the world, in charge of a new national radio station, known throughout the industry as a fine radio man, he has now found himself being pushed, out.

How it all went wrong for Mr Collins probably goes back to last February, when the consortium was granted the licence.

At that time, Radio Ireland appeared weak compared with some of the other groups seeking the national radio licence. The Radio Ireland consortium, known as Radio Riverdance in those days because its chairman, Mr John McColgan, and his wife and fellow promoter, Ms Moya Doherty, were the producers of the show, had little radio experience.

Mr Collins was brought in from Radio Kerry, where he was the chief executive. The impact of his appointment was immediate. Those on the Independent Radio and Television Commission who favoured other applicants were swamped. Mr Collins would ensure that Radio Ireland Would be a viable alternative to RTE Radio 1. It would not be simply a music-led station and would reflect his thoughtfulness.

Radio Kerry, under Mr Collins, had become the jewel in the crown of independent radio. It reflected the community it served, it produced quality programmes and won awards.

Mr Collins was dragged up from Kerry time after time to be local radio's serious and acceptable face.

He gave the ideological side to the arguments for local radio to be given a share of the licence fee. He argued that public service radio could be contained within a commercial station and could be reflected within individual programmes, rather than in a station. Many on the IRTC just loved hearing that.

Mr Collins agreed to run the station for a consortium made up of concert promoters, record company owners, commercial television producers and newspaper proprietors.

He agreed to a 60-40 music to speech policy and then set about finding studios, hiring staff, agreeing a transmission system and putting in place a schedule.

Throughout the year, little was heard. The shareholding changed, by about 30 per cent, but the IRTC agreed that. The original head of news, Mr Patrick Kinsella, withdrew and the promised Temple Bar located was changed.

However, the first visible sign of tension was at the launch of the week-day schedule on January 31st.

MR McColgan took centre stage. It was he who outlined the philosophy behind the programmes and who would be presenting what. Mr Collins's role that day was peripheral.

It later emerged that there was a good reason why Mr McColgan spoke: it was because he, not the controller of programmes, had hired the star presenters.

It also emerged in the ensuing weeks that Mr McColgan has been acting in an executive role, as were many of the other promoters, since before Christmas. They believed that the station would never be ready for its St Patrick's Day launch.

The line put out - unofficially at least - by Radio Ireland was that Mr Collins had just too much on his plate. That while he should be concentrating on programming, he had to look after everything, from transmission to planning permissions, to the colour of the carpet in the reception area.

"John and the others just wanted to help Dan," one source suggested.

However, whatever about making sure the carpet man arrived on time, sitting in on interviews for programme and editorial jobs was seen as interference.

For many in the world of radio outside Radio Ireland, it often looked as though there were two stations.

RTE producers, editors and journalists were often approached by Mr Collins one day, offering a job at one salary level, and by Mr McColgan another day, with a higher salary level. Neither seemed aware of the other's approach.

This might have continued until launch day had not the rumour machine in Dublin cranked into overdrive 10 days ago.

JOURNALISTS started to get calls, some anonymous, from people suggesting that Collins was in trouble.

When The Irish Times finally tracked down Mr Collins, he simply said he was "precluded from talking".

An hour later he had hired a public relations consultant.

Both sides were now taking legal advice. Mr Collins had been given a week to think about his position and accept a lesser position within the company.

Last Friday (February 14th), he was in work as usual, the same on Monday. The future of Radio Ireland was now a big story. The Independent Radio Television Commission decided to call an emergency meeting. Radio Ireland's board had also met.

Radio Ireland announced it was appointing Mr Andy Park, who had worked for Radio Clyde, as a temporary assistant programme controller. Some on the IRTC saw this as sinister as Radio Clyde is owned by Scottish Radio which has a 15 per cent holding in Radio Ireland. Its chairman, Mr Jimmy Gordon, applied for the licence which Radio Ireland won.

The atmosphere in Radio Ireland House in Upper Abbey Street, Dublin, was very strange over the past week. Mr Collins was in his office, operating as chief executive. Staff carried on preparing for the launch as if there was nothing untoward. There were definitely two camps but no open hostility. No one has changed their minds about going to work at the station.

Mr Conor Kavanagh, the head of news, continued to try to convince local radio stations to take his news service. But the local stations have decided to run with an alternative news service. Mr Kavanagh is now putting in place an alternative countrywide news-gathering system and, he says, all the journalists and editors are starting on Monday.

Some of those brought in by Mr McColgan spoke of how ill-prepared everything was. Consultants Terry Prone and Tom Savage were taken on board to put shape on Daybreak and The Last Word, two of the most important programmes on the schedule.

Others were devastated for Mr Collins, especially those who had also come from local radio. At the height of the speculation, Mr McColgan spoke to the staff. He gave a rousing speech about what the station was doing and how professional everyone was. He also said no one was to speak to the media.

One reporter, who came from local radio, spoke up for Mr Collins. He was reassured by Mr McColgan.

Meanwhile, there are the preparations for the launch. Daybreak begins dry runs on Monday. The newsroom will start to function and the staff begin training on the new editing equipment and in putting together the news bulletins.

One advertising source suggested two things - at least the unrest was happening before going on air and that what appeared to be the growing influence of Mr Gordon was to be welcomed. "He is a class act and Radio Clyde a class station."

Radio Ireland is lucky. The health of the economy means there is a lot of advertising. Mr Aidan Dunne, head of media at McConnell's Advertising, said £35 million was being spent on radio advertising. That figure was flat because there were no outlets and RTE was booked up. A new outlet would be welcomed.

There has been surprisingly little discussion about Radio Ireland. Everyone wanted it to succeed because everyone wanted advertising space, he said.

Meanwhile, Radio Ireland will announce its new arrangements next week. The IRTC has already agreed but is allowing the station some positive publicity.